Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

The 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.

There are five days left until Lunar New Year's Eve.

At 6:30 a.m., before the sky was fully bright, the city was still asleep.

Yang Fan was awakened by a knock on the door.

"Brother! Wake up!"

Yang Ya's voice, though low, came from outside the door, barely concealing her excitement.

Yang Fan rubbed his eyes and glanced at his phone.

The winter morning was particularly cold, but the bed was warm and cozy. He struggled for two seconds before finally sitting up.

"They're here."

When the door opened, Yang Ya was already dressed, wearing a new light yellow down jacket she had bought yesterday, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, her face full of anticipation.

"Brother, hurry up and wash up! Let's leave early!" Her eyes sparkled. "I'm all packed!"

Seeing his sister's expression, Yang Fan couldn't help but laugh: "So eager? It's only a few o'clock."

"Let's walk earlier so there won't be traffic!" Yang Ya pushed him towards the bathroom.

"And we still need to pick up Xiaoyu. She said she was all ready and waiting downstairs by 7:30. We can't keep the girl waiting too long!"

"Okay, okay." Yang Fan was pushed into the bathroom by her, and she closed the door behind him.

The cold water splashed on my face, and my sleepiness completely disappeared.

Today, I'm going home.

Looking at his face in the mirror, Yang Fan took a deep breath. Finally, he could go back with his head held high.

After washing up, Yang Ya had already dragged his suitcase to the door, with several shopping bags piled up next to it.

"It's all here." Yang Ya clapped her hands. "Brother, is there anything else we need?"

Yang Fan glanced at it: "It should be all there."

"Hmm!" Yang Ya nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, brother, what are we having for breakfast? How about we go get some first?"

Yang Fan thought for a moment and said, "Let's eat together after we pick up Xiaoyu. It'll be more lively with the three of us."

"Great!" Yang Ya was even happier. "Shall we check out now?"

"Walk."

The two dragged their bags downstairs. In the elevator, Yang Ya kept humming an off-key song, and Yang Fan felt a warm glow in his heart seeing his sister so happy.

Checking out at the front desk went smoothly. After swiping his room card and settling the bill for the last day, Yang Fan picked up his car keys and headed to the parking lot.

On a cold winter morning, the parking lot was so cold that even your breath turned white.

Yang Fan opened the trunk, and the brother and sister began to pack things in one by one.

"Put the clothes here... Be careful with the computer... Don't crush the cigarette..." Yang Ya muttered as she put the clothes down, like a conscientious and responsible housekeeper.

The trunk was quickly stuffed full. Yang Fan closed the car door and clapped his hands: "That's about enough. Let's go pick up Xiaoyu."

"Wait!" Yang Ya took out her phone. "Let me call Xiaoyu first and tell her we're on our way."

The call was answered quickly.

"Hey, Xiaoyu! We're on our way, about twenty minutes from there... Hmm, have you had breakfast? No? Perfect, let's eat together!... Okay, see you later!"

After hanging up the phone, Yang Ya got into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt: "Xiao Yu said she's already packed, just one suitcase."

"Hmm." Yang Fan started the car, and the heater slowly filled the room.

There wasn't much traffic on the streets in the early morning, and the breakfast stalls along the roadside were already steaming.

The steamer baskets of the steamed bun shop were filled with white steam, and the aroma of fried dough sticks wafted far and wide.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of the old residential area where Lin Xiaoyu rented a place.

Sure enough, Lin Xiaoyu was already waiting downstairs.

She was wearing a faded pink down jacket, with a small suitcase at her feet and a cloth bag in her hand.

Upon seeing Yang Fan's car, she quickly waved, a shy smile on her face.

"Xiaoyu!" Yang Ya jumped out of the car and helped her put her suitcase in the trunk. "That's all? Nothing else?"

"Okay, that's all," Lin Xiaoyu said softly. "I don't have much stuff."

Yang Fan also got out of the car and opened the back door for her: "Get in, it's cold outside."

"Thank you, brother." Lin Xiaoyu got into the car and carefully placed the cloth bag at her feet.

Once back on the road, Yang Fan glanced at the rearview mirror and asked, "Xiaoyu, what do you want for breakfast? Let's find somewhere to eat before we get back on the highway."

Lin Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Um... I know a place where the breakfast is quite cheap and tastes pretty good."

"It's just... it's a bit out of the way, I don't know if you'd be willing to go..."

"Of course!" Yang Ya said immediately. "A place Xiaoyu recommends must be good!"

Yang Fan nodded: "You name the place, and we'll go there."

Lin Xiaoyu gave an address, which was indeed not on the main road, but rather on a side street.

After driving for seven or eight minutes, the car stopped in front of a breakfast shop that looked quite old.

The shop is small, with a fryer for making fried dough sticks set up at the entrance and five or six tables inside, which are already quite full.

"This is it." Lin Xiaoyu said a little embarrassedly, "This shop has been open for more than ten years, I come here often... Steamed buns are 1.5 yuan each, soy milk is 2 yuan a bowl, all you can eat."

Yang Fan looked around and found a parking spot on the side of the road: "Okay, this is fine."

The three got out of the car and went into the shop. The owner, a man in his fifties wearing an apron, smiled when he saw Lin Xiaoyu: "Xiaoyu's here? Bringing a friend today?"

"Mmm," Lin Xiaoyu replied softly, her face slightly flushed. "Uncle Wang, I'd like three bowls of soy milk, six steamed buns, and three fried dough sticks."

"Okay! Sit down, coming right away!"

The shop was steaming hot and filled with the aroma of noodles.

The three of them found a table against the wall and sat down. The table was covered with a plastic sheet and wiped clean.

Breakfast was served quickly.

The plump, white steamed buns were steaming hot, the fried dough sticks were golden and crispy, and the soy milk was served in a rough porcelain bowl with a few bits of bean curd skin floating on top.

"It looks delicious!" Yang Ya picked up a steamed bun and took a bite. "Mmm... pork and cabbage filling, so fragrant!"

Lin Xiaoyu finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I've been eating at this restaurant for two years and I've never had diarrhea."

Yang Fan also tried it, and the taste was indeed good, simple yet substantial.

He glanced at Lin Xiaoyu. This girl ate very carefully, taking small bites of the bun, and even picking up the sesame seeds that fell on the table.

Breakfast was eaten quickly. When it came time to pay the bill, Lin Xiaoyu was the first to stand up.

"I'll do it!" she said, walking towards the cashier.

Yang Fan was about to stop her when Yang Ya pulled him back and whispered:

"Brother, let Xiaoyu pay. Otherwise, she'll feel guilty."

Yang Fan watched as Lin Xiaoyu took out crumpled change at the cashier and counted it out for the shopkeeper—the breakfast for three people cost a total of twenty-eight yuan and fifty cents.

She paid the money very seriously, as if she had accomplished something important.

Back in the car, Yang Fan fastened his seatbelt and began to speak:

"Xiaoyu, don't do that again."

Lin Xiaoyu was taken aback: "Huh?"

"I mean, you don't have to rush to pay anymore." Yang Fan looked at her through the rearview mirror:

"You and Xiaoya are such good friends, I'm Xiaoya's brother, which means I'm your brother too. You don't need to be so polite with us."

Yang Ya turned her head and said, "That's right! Xiaoyu, if you keep being so polite, I'll get angry!"

Lin Xiaoyu lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and after a while she whispered, "Um... I understand."

But Yang Fan knew that the girl was only agreeing verbally. Her inherent pride and sensitivity couldn't be changed with just a few words.

The car got back on the road, merged into the morning rush hour traffic, and headed towards the highway entrance.